Ventilation system with humidity responsive ventilation controller
First Claim
1. A ventilation system comprising:
- a housing including;
a ventilation controller;
a means for electrically connecting a power source to said ventilation controller;
a faceplate located on said housing;
at least one switch located on said faceplate; and
at least one humidity sensor in communication with, and providing data to, said ventilation controller; and
an exhaust fan electrically connected to said controller, wherein said exhaust fan is remote from said housing, wherein said ventilation controller includes an integrated circuit selectively operable to provide power to said exhaust fan and wherein said integrated circuit includes means to calculate a first gradient value of humidity at a first time and a second gradient value of humidity at a second time, and means to provide power to said exhaust fan when said first gradient value and said second gradient value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, wherein the housing and the exhaust fan are contained within a room to be ventilated and wherein said at least one switch located on said faceplate includes a manual fan switch, said manual fan switch in electrical connection with said fan to bypass said ventilation controller.
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Abstract
A ventilation controller including at least one humidity sensor for controlling the humidity of a room. The ventilation controller incorporates a housing sized and shaped to replace, or be placed in, a standard electrical junction box. Circuitry in the controller receives data from the sensor(s). The controller automatically switches on power to an exhaust fan when either the humidity exceeds a manually set humidity level and/or a rapid increase in humidity is observed. When a plurality of sensors is employed, the humidity level from a first sensor is compared by logic circuitry to the humidity levels detected at a reference sensor(s). When the humidity at the first sensor exceeds the humidity at the reference sensor(s), the ventilation controller switches on power to the exhaust fan.
87 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A ventilation system comprising:
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a housing including;
a ventilation controller;
a means for electrically connecting a power source to said ventilation controller;
a faceplate located on said housing;
at least one switch located on said faceplate; and
at least one humidity sensor in communication with, and providing data to, said ventilation controller; and
an exhaust fan electrically connected to said controller, wherein said exhaust fan is remote from said housing, wherein said ventilation controller includes an integrated circuit selectively operable to provide power to said exhaust fan and wherein said integrated circuit includes means to calculate a first gradient value of humidity at a first time and a second gradient value of humidity at a second time, and means to provide power to said exhaust fan when said first gradient value and said second gradient value exceeds a predetermined threshold value, wherein the housing and the exhaust fan are contained within a room to be ventilated and wherein said at least one switch located on said faceplate includes a manual fan switch, said manual fan switch in electrical connection with said fan to bypass said ventilation controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A ventilation system comprising:
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a ventilation controller contained within a housing, the ventilation controller including;
a first humidity sensor being exposed to at least one external surface of the housing; and
at least one switch, the at least one switch including a manual switch, the manual switch operable to bypass the humidity sensor; and
an exhaust fan coupled to the ventilation controller, wherein said exhaust fan is remote from said housing, the ventilation controller and the exhaust fan being located within a first room to be ventilated, wherein the ventilation controller is operable to compare a first humidity level detected by the first humidity sensor and a reference humidity level, wherein the ventilation controller includes a device to calculate a first gradient value of humidity at a first time and a second gradient value of humidity at a second time, wherein the ventilation controller is operable to automatically activate the exhaust fan when the first humidity level exceeds the reference humidity level. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification